Hermes:
Now everybody knows that walls have ears
Orpheus:
Is it true?
Workers:
Is it true?
Hermes:
And the walls had heard what the boy was singing
Orpheus:
Is it true?
Workers:
Is it true?
Hermes:
A million tonnes of stone and steel
Orpheus:
Is it true?
Workers:
Is it true?
Hermes:
Echoed his refrain
Workers:
What's he gon', what's he gon'*
What's he gonna do to the poor boy now?
It ain't none, it ain't none
It ain't none of our business anyhow
What's he want, what's he want?
What does he wanna hurt him for?
Here he comes, here he comes
You better keep your head down
Low
Keep your head keep your head low
Oh you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Oh you gotta keep your head low
Keep your head keep your head low
Oh you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Oh you gotta keep your head
Hades:
When I was a young man like you
Son, I held a woman too
Held her in my naked hands
When I was a young man
Now you know how it feels
Women are as slick as eels
Woman, quicker than the asp
And always slipping from your grasp
Take it from a man no longer young
If you want to hold a woman, son
Hang a chain around her throat
Made of many-karat gold
Shackle her from wrist to wrist
With sterling silver bracelets
Fill her pockets full of stones
Precious ones, diamonds
Bind her with a golden band
Take it from an old man
Workers:
Oh, keep your head keep your head low
Oh you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Oh you gotta keep your head
Why do we turn away while our brother is beaten?
Oh, keep your head-
Why do we build a wall and then call it freedom?
Oh, keep your head-
If we're free, tell my why
I can't look in my brother's eye
Keep your head
Persephone:
When I was a young girl like you
Sister, I was hungry too
Hungry for the underworld
When I was a young girl
Now you know how it tastes
The fruit of Mister Hades' ways
Sister it's a bitter wine
Spit it out while you still have time
Take it from a woman of my age
Love is not a gilded cage
All the wealth within these walls
Will never buy the thing called love
Love was when he came to me
Sister, we were wild and free
In the garden where we met
Nothing was between us yet
That's when I became his wife
But that was in another life
That was in another world
When I was a young girl
Workers:
Oh keep your head keep your head low
Oh you gotta keep your head low
If you wanna keep your head
Oh you gotta keep your head
Why do we turn away instead of standing with them?
Oh, keep your head-
Why are we digging our own graves for a living?
Oh, keep your head-
If we're free, tell me why we can't even stand upright
If we're free, tell me when we can stand with our fellow man
Keep your head
Hades:
Young man, I was young once too
I once sang the young man's blues
Women come and women go
Get you high and get you low
One day she's hot, the next she's cold
Women are so seasonal
Women leave again and again
Take it from an old man
Now I sing a different song
One I can depend upon
A simple tune, a steady beat:
The music of machinery
You hear that heavy metal sound?
The symphony of Hadestown
And in this symphony of mine
Of power chords and power lines
Young man, you can strum your lyre
I have strung the world in wire
Young man, you can sing your ditty
I CONDUCT THE ELECTRIC CITY!
I'll tell you what, young man
Since my wife is such a fan and
Since I'm gonna count to three and
Put you out of your misery
All:
One!
Hades:
Give me one more song!
One more song before I send you
All:
Two!
Hades:
To the Great Beyond where
Nobody can hear you singing
All:
Three!
Hades:
Sing a song for me
Make me laugh, make me weep
Make the king feel young again
Sing for an old man
-
* - This section was cut during previews according to Working On A Song